1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an article of furniture with a membrane supported between two supports and, more particularly, to the means for fastening the membrane to the supports.
2. Description of Related Art
A wide variety of chairs and other articles of furniture have a membrane stretched between a supporting frame wherein the membrane supports the occupant of the chair. U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,814 to Borichevsky, issued Nov. 30, 1971 discloses a plurality of support filaments mounted to a chair frame by screws. U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,023 to Buhk, issued May 1, 1979 discloses a plastic shell and an upholstery covering mounted to a chair frame by screws.
Alternatively, a sleeve may be telescopically mounted on opposing side frames, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,516 to Klein, issued Jul. 22, 1986 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,249 to Bradbury, issued May 2, 1989. Other chairs comprise a membrane or a plurality of filaments mounted to a chair frame by rolling the membrane on a frame member and then restricting rotation of the frame member when the chair is assembled, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,399,926 to Hehn, issued Sep. 3, 1968 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,614 to Abu-Isa et al., issued Oct. 8, 1985.
Still other chairs have incorporated grooves or apertures along parallel side frames and a widened edge of the membrane or plastic shell secured within the groove, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,022 to Poppe et al., issued Mar. 4, 1969, U.S. Pat. No. 3,298,743 to Albinson et al., issued Jan. 17, 1967, U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,446 to Persson, issued Aug. 24, 1971 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,612 to Borggren et al., issued Oct. 29, 1974. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,109 to Eames et al., issued Jun. 26, 1962, a web of a chair is mounted between parallel rails which have an outwardly facing groove. The edge web is wrapped 360.degree. around a stiffener element and then inserted into the outboard groove.
Chairs have also utilized slide fasteners or zippers to secure upholstery or seat covers to the chair frame or base. Examples of this are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,776 to Takamatsu, issued Apr. 26, 1977 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,233,986 to Leech, issued Mar. 4, 1941. In each of these designs, the zipper is exposed to the observer at the edge of the upholstery.
None of the references disclose an article of furniture with a membrane stretched between two support members wherein the fastening means are effectively hidden from view, thereby creating a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. In addition, none of the chairs previously known disclose fastening means for attaching an upholstery pad such that the upholstery hides the fastening means from view. This hidden fastening means also creates a more aesthetically pleasing chair.